As usual for media circus threads, please share your bouquets and brickbats for particular items in the mass media, or highlight cogent analysis or pointed twitterstorms etc in new media. Discuss any current sociopolitical issue (the theme of each edition is merely for discussion-starter purposes – all current news items are on topic!).

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I have to admit Centrelink was thoroughly predictable in their response to the whole “robodebt fiasco” thing which has been taking over the media for the past month or so. There is bad news around, so of course the thing you need to do is remind staff they could be sacked for talking to the media. About the only thing which has surprised me about it was the timing (I would have thought that message would have come out about two or three weeks back. Presumably the minister being on holidays stopped their damage control people from taking pre-emptive action).

As I’ve said for years, Centrelink is a wonderful agency. They treat their customers almost as well as they treat their staff. Mind you, they don’t treat their staff very well (note that Centrelink is also facing rolling industrial action as a result of stalling on wage negotiations for ages).